Hibiscus plant named ‘Copper Queen’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of winter hardy  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Copper Queen’ is the result of a unique hybridization. This new and distinct cultivar is characterized primarily as to its novelty by its extreme cold hardiness to Zone 4, its large thick-textured and heavily streaked flowers of red, pink and white and its ovate to “Maple-shaped” foliage with its reddish-purple coloration, compactness of approximately 2½ feet, its vigorous and uniform breaking habit and its floriferous nature from midsummer until frost.

Latin name: Hibiscus moscheutos×H. coccineus.

Varietal denomination: ‘Copper Queen’, hardy Hibiscus.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This plant, as a hybridized hardy Hibiscus, is valuable to the landscapemarket for its improvements in thicker textured and brightly coloredflowers and buds, refined, ovate to “maple-like” foliage with abronze-purple color, its all-around vigor, stable compact breakingaction, and adaptation to extreme environments, including the ability toconsistently survive winter temperatures of at least −30 degreesFahrenheit.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The new plant of this invention is the result of a unique hybridization,with the breeding achievement being evidenced in the outstandingcombination of characteristics exhibited by this new and distinctHibiscus plant, which include:

-   -   (a) Refined, 3-5 lobed ovate to “maple-shaped” leaves of a        bronze-purple color and relatively smooth margins which combined        compliments the landscape;    -   (b) Medium to large-sized flowers that are outstanding for their        red, hot-pink and white colored, heavily streaked petals;    -   (c) The plant being very floriferous with flowers that stay open        for at least one to two days;    -   (d) The plant being small to medium-sized but vigorous with        compact and uniform breaking action which gives it unique        landscape utility; and    -   (e) The plant being so hardy that it can consistently withstand        winter temperatures of at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Copper Queen’ was the result of a 50-year breeding program. Itsancestry includes Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus coccineus. Morespecifically, the plant resulted from multiple crossings with anunnamed, Fleming-bred Hibiscus moscheutos (non patented) and an unnamedFleming-bred Hibiscus coccineus (non patented). The seedling which mostnearly met all of the above standards was selected.

This new plant first bloomed in the summer of 2001 and was selected byGretchen Zwetzig on Gretchen Zwetzig's property located at 8101 S. 14thSt. 68512 Lincoln, Nebr. (previous address for applicants, Fleming's).Asexual propagation of the plant by cuttings and root division inLincoln, Nebr. has shown that the unique and distinguishing features ofthe plant are faithfully transmitted from generation to generation andappear to be fixed.

Since its origin, the plant has bloomed from midsummer until frost,while exhibiting the aforementioned distinctive characteristics. Thishardy Hibiscus plant greatly contributes to the market with its, sheerbeauty and utter refinement, its compact growth habit, its enhancedresistance to disease and insects, its stability through extremes inrain and drought, and its extreme hardiness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The flower and foliage of the cultivar at 2½ years of age are shown inthe attached photographs.

More specifically, FIG. 1 is a close-up of the flower and the leaf.

FIG. 2 is a depiction of the whole plant.

The colors are as true as is reasonably possible to attain inphotographic illustrations of this type. The colors illustrated may beslightly off due to light reflectance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

What follows is a detailed description of the new cultivar. The specificcolor descriptions are in accordance with The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart (2001), while general color recitations areconsistent with ordinary American terminology.

‘Copper Queen’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. It is to be understood that the phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in the environment such as temperature,light intensity, humidity, and day length without, however anydifference in genotype of the plant. The following botanicalcharacteristics and observations are gathered from the plant when grownin Lincoln, Nebr. (USDA Zone 4) and Lindsay, Calif. (USDA Zone 9).

THE PLANT

-   Parentage:    -   -   Seed parent.—Hibiscus moscheutos, unnamed and unpatented            Fleming-bred seedling.        -   Pollen parent.—Hibiscus coccineus, unnamed and unpatented            Fleming-bred seedling.-   Comparison between Observed Plant and Parents: Parents were similar,    except for being approximately ½ foot taller in height than Observed    Plant.-   Comparison between Observed Plant and other Known Cultivars: The    Observed Plant is unique, but most similar to Fleming patented hardy    Hibiscus: Kopper King U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,793 and the other    patented hardy Hibiscus from Fleming's, in that: (a) they are all    more compact at 3 feet on average. (b) they are all more hardy to    −30 degrees Fahrenheit. (c) they all have refined new leaf shapes    and colors. (d) they all have thick, overlapping new flower colors    with blooms from the top to the bottom of the plant.-   Origin: A selected seedling from stated cross.-   Type of plant: Hardy, herbaceous perennial.-   Classification: Variety of hardy Hibiscus plant.-   Propagation: Relatively easy to propagate through cuttings; holds    its distinguishing characteristics through successive cuttings and    divisions.-   Size: About 2½ to 3 feet tall and about 2½ feet wide.-   Form: Symmetrical annual growth from perennial roots.-   Habit: Upright and uniformly branched.-   Growth: Vigorous; medium and compact. Full grown (2½ to 3 ft) in 2    years. 2 ft 6 in at the time of measurement.-   Hardiness: Hardy to at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.-   General health: Plant is very disease resistant against rot, aphids,    spider mites, scale, white fly etc.; sturdy through excessive    drought, rain or wind.-   Propagation: Relatively easy and fast rooting in approximately 2    weeks.-   Foliage:    -   -   1. Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   2. Shape.—Juvenile: 3-5 lobed ovate to “maple-shaped”            leaves. Rounded base shape. Mature: Refined, ovate to            “maple-shaped”, 3-5 lobed leaf with entire to mildly serrate            margins and acute apices; rounded base.        -   3. Size.—Mature leaf (petiole base to apex): Length is about            5 inches or (12.5 cm), width is about 3 inches or (7.5 cm).            Young leaf: Length 3¾ inches or (9.5 cm), width is 2½ inches            or (5.7 cm).        -   4. Color.—Young leaves (upper side): 147-A; (purple color):            Mainly N 92-A and 187-A. Mature leaves: (upper side): 147-A.            Mainly a blend of 187-A and 178-A. Veins: 185-A. Venation            pattern: Palmate. Venation Color: 185-A Upper and Lower            Surface. Coloration of the lower leaf surface: Between 137 C            and 139 C. Mature Leaf.        -   5. Surface texture.—Upper: Smooth. Lower: Semi-smooth.        -   6. Petiole length.—About 2¾ inches or 6.5 cm. Diameter: 1-2            cm.        -   7. Petiole color.—137-A and 178-A. Surface Texture:            Semi-smooth.-   Stems: The stems are stout at the base becoming more slender toward    the apices; coloration is consistent with the petiole.-   Length: 2-3 inches. Diameter: 1-2 cm.-   Internode length: Apx. 2 inches.-   Texture: Semi-smooth.

THE FLOWER

-   Blooming period: Profuse from July until frost.-   Flower diameter: Large; about 9-10 inches (24 cm).-   Borne: Singly in leaf axils, from midpoint of stems upward.-   Bloom duration: Individual bloom lasts at least one to two full    days.-   Form: Campanulate; petals are also very overlapping.-   Average number of flowers per season: 300.-   Bud:    -   -   1. Length.—About 2¼ inches or (6 cm) on day before opening.            Diameter: apx. 2 inches.        -   2. Color.—Between 49-D and 46-C (edges).        -   3. Surface texture.—Semi-glabrous.        -   4. Duration.—One to two weeks.-   Corolla: Having five petals.    -   -   1. Petal character and dimensions.—Campanulate and very            overlapping. (a) Young Length: About 3¾ inches or (9.5 cm).            Mature Length: About 5 inches or (13 cm). (b) Young Width:            About 2½ inches or (5.7 cm). Mature Width: About 3 inches or            (8 cm).        -   2. Coloration.—Red, hot-pink and white. Red: 53-A, 45-A and            187-A. Pink: 50-A and 50-C. White: 56-D. (a) Streaks and            venation: 53-A, 50-A and 50-C. White background coloration            of petal surface: Closest to 56-D. (b) “Kissed” speckled            petal edge: 53-A and 50-A. (c) Eye zone: 53-A, 45-A and            187-A. Size:2 ½ inches or (6½ cm).        -   3. Texture.—Smooth.        -   4. Substance.—Thick.        -   5. Shape.—Campanulate and very overlapping with petal folds            at edges.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   1. Staminal column.—Stamen along basal two-thirds. One            stamen per flower. Stamen average length: About 1¾ inches or            (4.8 cm). Filament length: 1¼″ (3.17 cm). Stamen color            designation: Lighter than 11-D. Pollen color: 11-C and B.        -   2. Style.—Terminates upper one-third of stamina column.            Average length: ½″, 1.27 cm. Stigmatic lobe and Style color:            11-D (tips: 63-A). Stigma size: ¼″.-   Calyx: Average of one per plant: 5 lobed, connate at the base; about    1¼ inches or (3.5 cm) in length. Upper and Lower Color: Medium    green: 147-A. Surface texture: Semi-smooth.-   Stipules: None.-   Seed (fruit): Size: 1 cm. Color: Grey-brown. Average number: Less    than 100.-   Epicalyx: Whorl of bracts.    -   -   1. Shape.—10-12 slender, sword-shaped bractlets.        -   2. Length.—About 1½ inches or (3.8 cm).        -   3. Upper and lower color.—143-A.-   Penduncle:    -   -   1. Length.—About 2 inches or (6½ cm). Diameter: 1 cm.        -   2. Strength.—Stiff and sturdy. Surface Texture: Semi-smooth.        -   3. Color.—Light to medium green with slight reddish-purple            cast. 148-A and 175 A.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of hardyHibiscus plant, as herein shown and described, characterized by itscompact nature, refined ovate to “maple-shaped” foliage of abronze-purple coloration, its large heavily streaked, red, hot-pink andwhite flowers, its vigor and its hardiness.